The Monk

French-German writer and director Dominik Moll's fourth feature is an uneven adaptation of the novel by Matthew Lewis. In the 17th century Spain, an orphan abandoned at a monastery becomes an influential and powerful monk whose growing stature leads him to his own downfall. Unfortunately Moll's return after a long absence fails the expectations he set up with "With a Friend Like Harry..." Vincent Cassel stars with a predictable performance which is another problem. The supporting cast includes Sergi López and Geraldine Chaplin. 1001 Films' coverage of films on DVD.